Follow Me
by TiredGreenEyes
Summary: Jesus tells John and James to follow him... why exactly did they leave their father so willingly?


Follow me

From Faith, a servant of Christ Jesus, to all God's people scattered throughout God our Father and Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

This story was taken from the books of Matthew and Luke:

* * *

Every boy dreams of becoming a rabbi... to want anything else was pure madness.

Who else but a rabbi can sit in the synagogue and pray and become close to God? Who can dedicate every part of him to his religion? It comes with high honor, for you and your family.

And it's nearly impossible to get.

I crouched near the outside of our home, waiting for my brother. When he'd left this morning the fear was evident in his eyes. James was a good student, but the rabbi would only pick the best to be his pupil.

Gingerly I saw beside the building, inching closer to the roof to protect myself from the hot sun. To be honest I was nearly as nervous for James as he was for himself. I too had gone through the process and failed. All that studying and praying... and now I was in the family business. Fish.

Which was actually where I was supposed to be right now. Fishing from the docks I mean. No doubt when my father finds me he'll be slightly upset that I'm not fixing nets or such. But fishermen don't go out in the day anyway, and there's plenty of time for that stuff before nightfall. I can certainly justify my actions can't I?

In a few moments, all the children who have not become rabbis will bum their ways home. The child who has achieved the honor will stay for a while longer before coming home and getting his things, leaving to begin his training.

That was another sour point. I wanted it for James... For him to be a rabbi and to make our family proud.. I wanted it for him pretty badly... but did that mean I would never see him again?

In my service I had recited everything I knew, shyly and fearfully. I knew everything that was required, though I stumbled for nervousness. In the end, it was a boy I'd grown up with- Joel son of Zachariah that had acclaimed the position. The rabbi had stood, looking at us all and stroking his gray beard. His friend had whispered something in his ear and he smiled. For a moment, my heart had leapt, then it sank as he walked to Joel and said, "Follow me."

Joel, stunned and flushed with victory, did not even glance at the rest of us. Obediently he trotted behind the rabbi, following him into the crowd in the direction of the temple.

I never saw him again.

A small group of people were coming up the hill, dragging their feet. Too far to see their faces- but I knew it was them.

They grew closer. I stood up, straining my eyes. Was James there? Had he been asked to follow?

A moment later I saw him. A guilty relief swept over me and I rushed out to meet him, forgetting my hiding.

James looked up, his eyes sad and a fake smile on his face. I stopped in front of him and we both were silent.

I thought of how hard James had worked. Every night I'd help him study, how we'd dreamed that he might do better then I had, and how I'd try to point out mistakes that others had made and what to avoid.

Now, all that studying was useless. We had failed. What did a fisherman need of scripture?

"It will stay with you your entire life." I said out loud. I realized how odd that must of sounded, coming from nowhere. James smiled, knowingly.

"Yes."

We turned and walked back to the house. Our father was waiting there. My face flushed. How long had he been there? The entire time I was hiding?

Father looked at James and placed a hand on his head. He was so much taller then us, he had to lean over some. James looked up at him with guilty eyes.

"We will continue to serve Him in other ways." Father said simply. Turning he motioned. "Come boys. Your mother has prepared a meal."

We walked behind him, silent. I wanted to say something to help James in his disappointment, but I could think of nothing.

Then he spoke. "Perhaps God has other plans for us."

I blinked at him, but his face was turned away, looking over the hills and to the lake of our village.

Inside I wondered what God could possibly want with two fisherman, but I smiled anyway and agreed, "Yes. He probably does."

* * *

_twelve years later..._

"John! John, wake up!"

I moaned and rolled over. James was persistent. His large hands, rough from labor shook my shoulders. "John, this is ridiculous. I am not going to do this every day."

'_That's what you said three weeks ago.'_ I made a half hearted effort to open my eyes. James was standing over the bed roll, one thick brown eyebrow raised and an annoyed look on his face.

"John, Father's coming and your not up in two minutes-"

"Tell him I'm sick." I said burying my head in the cover.

"That's a lie... as if Father won't figure it out. Get your lazy bum out of bed. _Now_!" He yanked the blanket away on the last word, causing my head to thunk against the floor.

"Ow! James-"

"Get up!"

"I am up!"

"No you're not!"

Grumbling I pushed myself to my feet. "There, happy now?"

"Almost. Put your robe on and meet us." James pulled back the cloth on the doorway. Grabbing my cloak I put it on, smiling at him.

"James, my dear youngest and favorite brother... you are a bit bossy."

"I'm you're only brother. And if I am bossy, it's only because you are lazy."

Laughing I ruffled his light brown hair. "I've been doing this a bit longer then you have. I think I know enough to get out of bed."

James snorted. "Someday, I'll forget to wake you up and we'll test that theory."

We walked down the path, the day still cool, the sun not yet risen. There were pros and cons to every job. Yeah, we smell like fish all the time, but at least we didn't have to work out in the hottest parts of the day. If we were consistent in the morning, one of us would sell the fish and the other would mend the nest and we'd be down by noon. Then a few hours late, we'd go down and bring the boat into shore and prepare for the next day.

James passed me a small hunk of bread. "Eat it quick. You missed breakfast again."

I winked at him and ate. Father went down earlier then James and I, and for that reason alone I'd been allowed to miss breakfast. If he ever found out that I'd been sleeping in... well... they don't call him 'thunder' for nothing.

James tried to look stern but I could detect a smile hidden in his eyes. He shook his head. "You're hopeless."

"Indeed I am." I said cheerfully, shoving the last piece into my mouth and swallowing quickly. "Are Simon and Andrew going out as well?"

"It always pays to have another boat out in case we hit a big catch. Father says he did once and he needed Peter and Andrew's father to help him. So many fish it nearly split the nets in half!"

I snorted. "Father exaggerates."

"John, don't say such things."

"Even if they're true?"

James glared. "Especially if they're true."

Shrugging I brushed the crumbs from my hands. If mother had seen me go without washing she'd have been upset as well. May as well have the whole family mad at me.

"So basically," I said as we turned the corner, the lake growing closer. "What you're saying is that I'm lazy, you're bossy, and father exaggerates. How on earth does our poor mother survive?"

"What did I tell you about saying things like that?" James hissed, looking around, as if there was anyone up at this hour to hear me talk badly about our father.

"Oh come, you can't believe him." I rolled my eyes. "Enough fish to break the nets? We haven't even got a real good haul in years!"

"You talk as if it's impossible."

"It is!"

"Now you sounds like Simon."

"Like me?"

We turned to see Simon and Andrew standing there. Simon, like me, had the look as if he'd been drug from bed as well. Our father may have been gruff and stern, but was in all a gentle man. Simon and Andrew worked harder then us, having a larger boat to manage. They probably got less sleep then I did. I felt slightly guilty.

"Yes. Has your father told you the story of how the nets split with so much fish?"

"Yes, it was your father's net though. He shared a very fine amount with our family, or so I've heard." Andrew smiled at James. "Though Simon has his doubts as well."

"Ha!" I said triumphant. Simon shrugged, his face hard and picked up one of the bundles he was carrying. He began his walk, leaving us. Andrew shook his head slightly

"Sorry." He muttered. "We've been working all night, and haven't caught a thing yet. It seems to be affecting his mood"

"It's early." I pointed. "He'll feel better when the sun's up."

That too was a lie. In fact, the day went so badly I half felt like joining Simon in his bad mood. We'd been out for hours and hadn't caught a single fish. The sun was coming up when James and I began to pull down the sails.

"We'll stay out a little longer." Father said, standing. Covering his head from the sun, he stroked his black beard, looking into the water. James and I shared a look. No fish meant no money from the market, and none for supper also.

"Look at the bright side." I whispered. "You always said it gets tiresome having the same things everyday."

"Yes, but plain things are better then no things." James whispered back, uneasily. Pulling the sails down again, he sat, saying in a normal tone. "I wonder if Simon and Andrew have anything."

I looked across the waters at the small boat in the distance and it's two passengers. "I don't think so."

"Whatever we manage we will share." Father looked across the water also. "There are times when fish migrate and are few... and between John and I we have always had enough to live."

"But this isn't the time they're usually gone is it?" I asked. Father remained silent.

Noon came and went. Hot, and sticky, stuck on the ocean where there was no shade, James and I sat, waiting... waiting... Simon and Andrew gave up and went in. Had they caught something? I hoped so. We looked at Father but he held up his hand, the unspoken message clear... wait.

When I thought I could no longer stand it, Father stood up. "It's useless. No fish would come out during the day. Let's go in."

Wind rippled over the water. James and I let down the sail, taking out the oars and rowing in. It was so late in the day there was no use in going back up the hill only to come an hour later. Now we would have to stay here all afternoon too.

"Father, why don't you go to the house? John and I will take care of the boat and nets and follow you. Perhaps we can talk to Simon and Andrew and see if they have any ideas for tomorrow." Selfless James suggested. He was right of course, to let father go up... but I groaned at the thought of father, the most skilled of the three of us, leaving and the extra work we'd have.

Father was not listening. He was watching the beach of Galilee. I realized now the noise, the sounds of people. Standing I looked out.

"What are all those people doing here?"

James looked as confused as I was. He lifted his head, squinting out. "I think they're following someone."

"Are they chasing a criminal?" I looked at Father. He was looking, but he had a look of awe on his face.

"It must be Jesus."

I looked at James. He shrugged. "Who?"

"Jesus. They were talking about him in the market a few days ago when we were selling fish. They say he is a rabbi... some say that he is the Messiah." Father's voice was quiet, as if weighing the possibilities that this man, the Messiah, could be here right now. It didn't seem likely... I mean... God walking along the beach... _our beach_? Lake Gennesaret?

"Go to him." We looked at Father, confused. "Go and hear what he has to say... look!"

He pointed. The man got onto Simon and Peter's boat because the crowd was crushing him. He was starting to talk now, his voice carrying across the lake, but still not close enough to be understandable.

"Go to him. Listen and report back. Even if he is not the Messiah he is a rabbi... go listen and tell me what he says." Father pointed to him. James and I shared a look.

"Father-"

"Go!"

He stepped off the boat and tied it quickly. My hands were all thumbs, but I finished a moment before James. We hurried down the dock and towards the crowd.

"Hey... what's going on?" I asked, pushing myself in. James followed, looking harassed but the people shoving us.

"It's Jesus! He is giving a message of God!" A man, wearing purple robes, reported. We were still too far away to hear, but the people around us seemed content to simply look at the man. After trying unsuccessfully to get closer, I looked too.

There he was, standing on the boat. I could see Simon and Andrew behind him, mending nets as they listened attentively. He was wearing simple clothing, no different from my own and certainly no where near the finery that the priests wore, or even the man in purple in front of me. His face was honest, and kind but not unusual. In all honesty he really didn't look like a rabbi. He looked... well... like any man in the market I might sell fish to.

But when he looked into the crowd... when he looked in our direction I felt as though he was staring deep into me, as if he could see my soul. It was an odd feeling. It felt horrible in one sense because I knew all the terrible stuff I'd done since Sunday when we'd sacrificed the birds, one for each member of our family to pay for our rotten acts. But in another way... something about that man...

"John! He's finished." James pulled on my cloak. I didn't look at him, keeping my eyes on the man who had turned to my friends now, speaking in tones I could not hear.

"John! Come on!" James tugged again. We turned and ran, not stopping until we saw our father.

"Well? What did he say?"

"We were too far to hear Father... the crowds kept pushing us out... we only could watch." James explained through gasps. I nodded, raising myself and looked out at the boat onto the water.

"He was wonderful!" I blurted, foolishly. "He... he is a rabbi, Father."

Father looked at me closely. I felt even more stupid. I hadn't even heard him preach yet, and all I had to support my opinion was a notion when he looked at my face.

"I came to the same conclusion just hearing about him." He finally said softly. A sharp whistle made him turn sharply. "That's Andrew and Simon."

"What are they calling us for? Did they catch something?" James asked.

"Catch something? It's the middle of the day! They've been up all night and not caught anything!"

Father's placed a hand on my shoulder. "Go boys. They wouldn't signal for nothing."

James and I crawled into the boat, not bothering to take the nets. We began rowing out when James looked over his shoulder.

"John! Look they have let out their nets! The entire boat is tilted!"

I looked too. "No... they must have caught in on something... no one in a million years could catch that many fish... and _don't_-" I said as he opened his mouth, "Say father has. We've been over this."

A shout made us both pause and turn to the boat again. Laughter... not Simon or Andrew's laughter... a voice called, "James! John! Come on!"

James turned and began rowing. "How does the rabbi know us?"

"They must've told him." I said.

And then I saw what they were shouting about. I stopped rowing in my tracks and James, noticing the entire boat was going in circles, gasped angrily, "John! Will you kindly-" He stopped too, catching sight of the fish.

"Oh..."

Simon and Andrew's boat was tilted dangerously. The rabbi, Jesus was trying to help them pull it in but the nets were breaking. James and I rowed up along side and began pulling in baskets of fish, seeing as the entire crew of the opposite boat was up to their calves already.

The laughter and shouting was immense. There we were, four fisherman without a catch, and still we had two whole boats bursting with fish in the middle of the day. That, and this famous rabbi- Jesus- was pulling in loads of fish right along with us.

Eternity and longer passed before we'd finally thrown enough fish out of the nets to put them back safely on the boat. There were so many we couldn't even keep them all. Rowing back in, our Father eyes were wide and he gave a shout of laughter we pulled into shore with a boatload of fish.

We didn't have time to mend the nets before. Our entire evening consisted of selling what we could, packing up what we couldn't and rushing to our mother who prepared a feast that James proclaimed was, "Familiar, boring and downright wonderful." The tale had been told more times then necessary and James and I were still talking long after we should have been asleep. The next morning I woke up and gave James slightly less trouble then normal.

"Now do you believe it's possible to break a net this way?" He said smirking as we walked down the same familiar road.

"Thanks to you and our good friends, I will never doubt again." I laughed. We came to the bottom and looked out at the lake. "Where are Andrew and Simon?"

"Maybe they decided to sleep in... wasn't as if we didn't catch enough fish yesterday." James laughed. "Only we're crazy enough to wake up like this when we don't need to."

"We need to fix the nets again."

"Imagine what _they're_ nets look like!"

We laughed, walking to our father. He smiled at us, and we sat beside him, taking up our tools more cheerfully then normal.

As light began to break again, I looked up. "Hey, there they are!"

Simon and Andrew were walking over the hill, but they were not alone.

"Is that the rabbi?" James asked amazed.

"He must have stayed with them last night." I said, equally stunned.

They walked along the beach, closer and closer. Were they coming to see us? I made a move to stand but Father grabbed my wrist. "Sit and continue. They will come to us."

Finally, they came beside us. We looked up from fixing our nets. Jesus, the rabbi was here again. He kind, honest face looked at me and I felt the same emotions, same and wonder, flood me again. He nodded to our father.

"Zebedee."

Father nodded back to him.

"Rabbi."

Jesus looked at him with a smile, then turn his head to us. There was a pause and a brief silence before he spoke.

"Follow me." He said finally, simply.

James and I looked at each other stunned. _'Did he just say... follow me... did a rabbi just ask us to follow him!'_

He looked to our father, who looked just as stunned. Part of me wanted to ask questions, but one does not question a rabbi. James got to his feet slowly, and I jumped to mine. We stepped off the boat, leaving our father. We didn't look back, but as we followed Jesus I heard a small whoop of triumph behind us.

'_A rabbi asked us to follow him!'_

A/N

Many people think odd that James and John simply got out of the boat and followed Jesus, I however prefer the picture of Zeb whooping in the background. I bet you he was bragging to everyone he met that his sons were following Jesus. In any case, please review

Faith


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